Updated

Ethiopia says it is releasing nearly 10,000 people detained under its ongoing state of emergency but plans to charge almost 2,500 others accused of destabilizing the country.

Deputy government spokesman Zadig Abraha tells The Associated Press that 9,800 people are being freed Wednesday. "They have been given lots of trainings ... so that they won't be part of the destructive trend that we have seen in the past."

This East African country declared the state of emergency in October after nearly a year of anti-government protests that human rights groups say left hundreds dead.

Most of the detainees are from the restive Oromia and Amhara regions.

Zadig says Ethiopia has seen a "tremendous change in the peace and security" under the state of emergency, which is to end in April.